martedì 22 novembre 2011

'This is a landmark in recording history ... Self-recommending, I think' (The Sunday Times)

'All Handelians will want this set' (Gramophone)
'An outstanding recording … an enthralling experience' (Choir & Organ)
'A winner … one of those experiences where you know almost from the first chord that an enjoyable and rewarding evening lies ahead of you. The cast is on top form' (Early Music)
'A very well sung and very welcome appearance of one of Handel's most rarely performed works … For her [Lynne Dawson] interpretation alone the recording is worth buying' (Classic CD)
'We may be grateful that yet another glory has been restored by Robert King and his accomplished forces' (The Times)
'King and his musicians approach the piece with vitality and affection and, in so doing, carried me along from start to finish' (BBC Music Magazine)

domenica 20 novembre 2011

The origin of the dialogue between a solo voice and several obbligati instruments dates from the early baroque period (1600), and probably emerged from the hum drum setting of the market square where a singer would perform to the accompaniment of a few wind instruments. More refined relations of this musical form soon could be found in sacred and operatic works. This CD contains the complete obbligato arias by master and pupil -- J.C Bach and Mozart. Therefore we can hear examples of the pre classical (1750-75) and the classical period (1775-1820).

There is one undisputed masterpiece here -- Mozart's Ch'io mi scordi di te? K505 for soprano and piano. The aria is an expression of personal sadness. Nancy Storace, the first Susanna in Figaro, had left Mozart and returned to London. This is no operatic love affair gone wrong, but a real life one. Mozart himself is represented by the piano, Nancy by the stunning soprano role.

Mozart's friend and teacher J.C. Bach has a world premiere recording on this CD. His aria Sventura in van mi lagno of 1773 is an impressive virtuoso work for high soprano with two obbligato horns. One of the players J.C Bach wrote for was none other than Giovanni Punto, hence the extremely challenging nature of the horn part for a natural horn. (Brilliant notes)